No, Thanks
by harabb1979
Summary: Another Harm/Jen Post Paraguay. My OCs get a bigger role in this one, and I've brought in both Tom Boone and Mattie. For the reviewer who asked, Mac does grow up in this one...eventually.
1. Chapter 1

_ Okay, another Harm/Jen, set post-Paraguay. This time, I've made my OC, Ally Williams (Hughes), the one of the matchmakers for them. I was re-reading 'Paperwork' when a better back-story for it hit me, so Tom Boone will be here, and will be Ally's partner-in-crime on Operation Harm and Jen. Oh, and yes, I will be bringing Mattie in as well, but she, while supporting the relationship, won't be the one pushing them together. I'm not bringing Tom Johnson in, and Harm and Jen will be able to adopt Mattie. Poor Tom will be serving time for vehicular homicide. Enjoy, and remember that I own nothing but Ally and Brandon. If I did, I wouldn't be living in a crappy apartment living paycheck to paycheck until I finish my degree. Thank God for the GI Bill. Oh and the first person who reviews and can accurately name both the quarterback and receiver (as in he catches the ball, not that he's a wideout), plus the team that they were playing for in 2003 (both place and name) that Harm, Jen, Ally and Brandon discuss at dinner gets to name a character in my next fic. There will be three hints in the chapter._

"Hey, Jen did you hear what happened?" LN2 Jennifer Coates looked up into the smiling face of her best friend at work. LN1 Ally Williams had a grin a mile wide on her face as she leaned over to ensure that no one overheard their conversation.

"No, what is it?" Ally leaned closer to whisper in Jen's ear.

"You know that Commander Rabb resigned his commission to go find Colonel Mackenzie and Mr. Webb, right?"

"Yeah, so? Commander Rabb will probably be back tomorrow." Jen was surprised when Ally started shaking her head vehemently.

"You were at lunch, so you missed it. Apparently the Admiral called the Commander some names, told him he wasn't a team player, and suggested that he go wrestle a gator, 'cause he wasn't coming back to JAG." Jen's jaw dropped and she looked at her friend in stunned disbelief.

"That's horrible, Ally. Why in God's name are you smiling?"

"That's not all. You know how people say the Colonel expects the men in her life to give up things for her. Well, the Commander doing all he did wasn't enough. She's with Mr. Webb now!"

"You have got to be kidding me." Jen glanced over to where she could see Commander Rabb taking a poster off his wall, the easy smile gone, and an expression resembling grief replacing it. "That poor man. He just lost everything, and you're happy about it? I thought you liked him, Ally."

"I do, which is why I'm saying this. Jen, I'm not blind. I see the way you look at him, and every time that Brandon and I try to set you up with one of his friends, I see you making the comparison. Now, I don't like pulling rank, but I am going to right now. You're gonna go over there, offer to help him, and invite him over to mine and Brandon's place for dinner tonight at 1800. I've got red beans in the crock pot, which should be okay, since I know that you are a vegetarian, and I think he is too. I admit that I am hoping that something happens, but whether it does or not, he does not need to be alone tonight. Now go, LN2. That's an order." Jen inclined her head before standing up and heading towards the man in question. She was halfway across the bullpen when the Admiral stepped out of his office and was quickly intercepted by Ally.

"Afternoon, sir. I told LN2 Coates to help Mr. Rabb get his stuff cleared out." Chegwidden nodded and returned to his office after telling Ally to stay at Jen's desk and take his calls until Jen had finished helping Rabb.

Jen had seen the blinds closed in Col. Mackenzie's office, and shook her head before squaring her shoulders and approaching the man that she credited with saving her from herself and her own stupidity.

"Do you need any help, sir?"

Harm looked up and over to see LN2 Jennifer Coates standing in the doorway, concern etched all over her face. He forced a small smile and nodded.

"Sure, Jen. It's Harm, by the way, I'm a civilian now. If you could grab that box over on the chair, I would appreciate it." Jen followed Harm towards the elevator, and inside. Once the door closed, she set the box on the handrail before turning to face him.

"Si…uh…Harm, I was wondering…are you okay?" He looked and saw the look in her eyes was one of true concern, that she was truly interested in how he felt. The least that he could do was be honest with her.

"Not really, Jen. I have no idea what I am going to do now." They had reached the downstairs lobby and she followed him to his car.

"Harm?"

"Yeah, Jen." He took the box she was holding and set it in the backseat of his car.

"Look, I know that this may not be the best time, but Ally…LN1 Williams, that is, wanted to know if you wanted to have dinner with me, her, and her fiancé Brandon tonight. We're worried about you, and want to make sure that you'll be okay. I know that you don't really know us…" Harm held up his hand and smiled.

"That sounds better than sitting at home alone, Jen. Tell Ally I said thank you. What time should I be there, and does she want me to bring anything?"

"1800, and she said that she's making red beans. With her, that means, red beans and rice, there'll be sausage in the beans, but that can easily be picked out, thankfully. Red beans and rice, sweet cornbread, iced tea and beer. It's going to be really casual. She and Brandon are both from New Orleans, so she cooks a lot of that kind of food, and more than enough to feed an army. By the way, are you a football fan?" Harm nodded,

"Yes, I've been a fan of the Chargers since I was a kid." Jen chuckled.

"Since it's October, be prepared for a discourse on how the Saints will someday win the Super Bowl." Harm snorted.

"They've won what, one playoff game in thirty some-odd years? Sure, I'm not going to hold my breath on that one." Jen chuckled.

"I know, but those two are a bit fanatical. Their living room is black, tan, and gold, covered in fleur-de-lises and Saints memorabilia, so try not to insult them too much. So I can tell Ally that you'll be there, right?" Harm nodded, pulling a pen from his coat pocket and a legal pad from the top of one of the boxes.

"Could you please write their address down while I finish loading this stuff up?" Jen nodded and began writing both the address and directions down. She had just finished as Harm closed the door to his backseat.

"Okay, Jen. I'll see you later tonight." With that, Harm drove off while Jen made her way back in to the building. Once she got back to the bullpen, she gave Ally a quick nod to indicate that they would have an additional guest for dinner that night.

Jen went home and got a quick shower and changed into jeans and a tee shirt before driving over to Ally and Brandon's. Ally, as usual, had her laptop set up to play music through several connected speakers. Jen began to help put a salad together while Ally was finishing the rice and Brandon was making the tea.

Harm had just pulled up, gotten out of his car and was approaching the door when he heard the laughter and music from a song that Dolly Parton had done with Billy Ray Cyrus when he was still a full-time aviator. He remembered singing the song at a bar in Norfolk with some of his fellow pilots, including the females. As he approached the open door, he could hear Jen singing Dolly's part while Ally was covering the other women in the song. Harm walked in and couldn't resist chiming in with Billy Ray Cyrus, who's part of the song started after Jen had sung _"My temperature keeps rising every time we meet. I may not be in love, but let me tell you I'm in heat. Romeo, Romeo, I just know I'll get you yet. Romeo, Romeo, I wanna be your Juliet." _Both Jen and Ally's mouths dropped open and Jen turned bright red as Brandon snickered.

"On that note," Ally grinned, "I'm going to check on the cornbread." Brandon laughed louder as Jen rushed into the kitchen behind Ally. Harm looked at Brandon, who smiled and extended his hand.

"Evening, sir. I'm Brandon Hughes." Harm returned the smile and shook hands with the man standing there. Brandon wasn't much younger than Harm, and as he looked around, Harm saw that Jen hadn't been exaggerating about the décor there.

"Harm Rabb. Thanks for having me over." Ally had come out of the kitchen with a smile.

"We're happy to have you, sir." Harm sighed and shook his head.

"It's Harm, Ally. No sir, just plain old Harm." Jen walked out in the living room, a Coke in one hand and a Budweiser in the other, extending them both in his direction.

"Take your pick."

"Oh, I thought that they were both for me." Jen saw the twinkle in Harm's eyes and shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, I've had Jack and Coke and Bacardi and Coke, but if you want a Bud and Coke, I'll go get you a glass." Harm laughed and took the beer from Jen, opening it while she returned the soda to the refrigerator. Jen and Ally brought the salad, several types of dressing, cornbread and butter to the kitchen table.

"All right, food's ready so come on in and fix your plate." Ally was standing in the doorway to the kitchen, as Jen, Harm and Brandon got up from the sofa and chairs to join her.

As soon as everyone began eating, Harm listened to Ally and Brandon discuss what the Saints needed to do next off-season in order to have a chance at a title. It wasn't long before Brandon got him involved in the conversation.

"Hey, Harm, you got a favorite team?"

"I grew up outside of San Diego." Ally nodded.

"Yeah, that quarterback you guys picked up in the 2000 draft looks like he's going to be a good one. Wish Ditka had bet our picks on someone like that rather than that idiot Ricky Williams. Yeah, Deuce needs another back to help him out, but that guy was a problem child in school, from what I've heard. We really could use a good, accurate passer."

"I think Eli Manning is going to be in next year's draft class, Ally, Brandon." Harm took a sip of his tea. "Maybe the Saints can get him."

"Doubt it," Ally replied, shaking her head. "There are several teams that are already doing worse than we are, and since he's a Manning, someone's bound to do a helluva trade for him. Tom Benson won't allow a coach to anything like that, after the Ditka fiasco. We need a quarterback, not to mention couple of guys on offense that can break tackles and catch the damn ball." Brandon nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, New York drafted a good tight end last year from the U. Big blond guy, can't remember the name though. We get players like that, beef up the defense a little, and we will get to the Super Bowl." Harm decided to keep his opinion to himself and quickly changed the subject. Halfway through dinner, his cell phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID and saw that it was Mac. Harm was enjoying the honest, friendly people around him, and for once, decided that whatever drama that she had going on could wait.

That night, as they were getting ready to leave, Jen's battery died and her car refused to start. Harm offered her a ride home, and when they got to her apartment, Jen was surprised to find a note from the complex manager on the door. Tears filled her eyes as she read it. Harm took the paper from her limp hand and looked at it, his brow furrowing as he began reading.

Dear Resident, We regret to inform you that the owners of this property have sold the complex to L & C Development, INC. All residents are required to vacate the premises no later than November 1, 2003. All security deposits will be returned, along with the rent from the month of October to assist you in finding new residences. We apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause." Harm looked at Jen, who was shaking her head.

"It was hard enough getting this place, since it is one of the few that a single E-5 can afford in this area, even with BAH. The only reason Ally and Brandon have their apartment is the fact that they are both E-6 and aren't married yet. Now they expect me to find somewhere else to live in three weeks. This really sucks."

"Jen," Harm took a deep breath, "I own the entire floor of my building, including an apartment across the hall. I originally bought it for my brother, but he moved back to Russia the day after the sale was finalized. I was planning on renting it out, but if you want it, you can have it."

"How much is the rent and deposit?"

"How much are you paying here? Oh, and don't worry about a deposit"

"$850, including water, sewage and electricity."

"That's fine then. Do you want it? I would rather have a friend for a neighbor than rent to a complete stranger." Jen nodded.

"Sure. When can I start moving in?"

"How about this weekend? It's been collecting dust in there, so I want to clean it up before you start bringing your things in." Jen nodded, hugged Harm, and said goodnight.

The next morning, Harm was surprised to receive a call from retired Admiral Tom Boone. Apparently, someone at the Pentagon had told Tom what had happened, and the older man wanted to check on his godson. Harm told him that he was okay, thanks to the kindness of Jen, Ally and Brandon. Tom wanted to meet the trio for himself, so Harm explained that Jen was moving into an apartment in his building over the weekend, and that all three would be there to help. His godfather promptly volunteered both to help move Jen in, and provide the beer for the crew.

Friday afternoon, JAG secured early, and Ally and Jen met Brandon at Jen's packed up apartment. Jen had already called Harm, who said that he was on his way with an extra pair of hands. Once they arrived, Harm introduced Tom, and the older man had to go through the same 'I'm retired, it's Tom' spiel that he had to with Harm last Christmas. Once everyone relaxed, the process of loading the U-Haul commenced.

As soon as they arrived back at Union Square, Jen and Ally took over the process of directing traffic and unpacking the boxes as the men brought them in. Ally looked around the large living/dining room with a grin before turning to Jen with a speculative gleam in her eyes.

"You know Jen, with the tan walls and gold accents…" Jen began shaking her head furiously.

"No Ally, absolutely not. You are not turning my apartment into another shrine to the Saints. No way." Tom nearly choked on his beer. Setting it down, he looked at both women curiously.

"Who the hell would want to…the Saints? They suck, have always sucked, and will always suck. The only team that sucks worse than them in the NFL is Detroit." Harm and Jen looked at each other before stepping away from the imminent explosion. Brandon placed a hand over Ally's mouth as he turned toward Tom.

"We're both from New Orleans, Tom, and Ally's pretty passionate about our home team. She'll admit that they suck, but gets pissed off when someone not from back home says it." Tom started laughing and nodded his head.

"I get it. For what it's worth, Ally, I'm a Redskins fan, and they pretty much suck, too." This helped Ally calm down, and pretty soon, they found a safe topic of conversation: cars. Jen and Harm both loved old Corvettes, Tom preferred Mustangs, and Brandon loved the 50's Chevelles while Ally's dream car was a black Camaro, preferably the 1987 model. Four hours later, the apartment was finished and the group was relaxing on the sofa and loveseat. Ally stood up and dusted her hands on her jeans as she grinned at her companions.

"Well, I brought some gumbo over along with a loaf of French bread, so I figure we can chill for a bit and eat before Jen throws us out."

"What's in it, Ally?" Ally smiled at Jen and Harm.

"Made it special for this weekend. Seafood gumbo, with crab, shrimp and veggies. All we need to do is cook some rice and pop the bread in the oven for a bit." Harm grinned as he grabbed another beer from the cooler.

"Well, if it is half as good as the beans you made, I'm looking forward to it." Ally stood up and walked to the kitchen while Brandon started fiddling with the stereo, getting some music going in the background. Tom watched as Harm and Jen began working on the salad together. The two were laughing, not noticing that their companions were watching them. Tom leaned over towards Brandon and Ally, who were smiling at the interaction.

"I take it that I'm not the only one seeing this." Ally shook her head.

"There's always been something there, buried deep beneath both Harm and Jen not wanting to break regs. I was there when the Admiral basically told Harm to go screw himself, Jen was at lunch, so when she got back, I ordered her to help him and ask him to my house for dinner. Whether something happens between those two or not, I'm happy that the two of them can at least be friends now. I've been at JAG for almost three years now, and when I got there, everyone talked about the Rabb-Mackenzie friendship. Well, with friends like her, who the hell needs enemies?" Tom considered what Ally said as he continued watching Harm and Jen. The interaction between the two was filled with possibilities, but the old aviator knew that Harm had been burned so many times already. From what Ally had said, it seemed that Jen was in a similar situation. Watching those two dance around each other would be entertaining for a while, but Tom hoped that he and Ally would be able to do something to get those two together by New Year's Eve.


	2. Chapter 2

Harm and Jen did grow closer over the next few months, and when Bud invited him over for New Year's Eve, Harm found himself declining for the first time in years. It was the first time the younger man had contacted him since that fateful day in September. Despite his job with the CIA, Harm was determined that he would spend the holidays with Ally, Brandon, Jen and Tom. The four of them had made plans to spend New Year's Eve at the annual party at Plaza Nocha. Brandon laughed as Tom and Ally both schemed to ensure that Harm and Jen were dancing together at midnight, so that they would have to share the traditional kiss.

At seven on the night of New Year's Eve, Harm walked across the hall and knocked on Jen's door. He heard her call out 'it's open' and turned the knob. Meeting his eyes was a vision in dark red silk. Jen's dress was strapless, gently hugging her curves before the skirt flared out to her knees. A simple strand of pearls encircled her throat with matching earrings. Jen's dark brown hair flowed down her back in gentle waves, and Harm was taken aback. He knew that his feelings had changed toward her, but he knew that he was too old and too damaged for her to even consider him. Tonight would be as close as he would ever be able to come to dating Jen, and Harm wanted to enjoy every minute of it.

Jen smiled at the handsome man standing in her doorway. She wished she could find the nerve to tell him what she felt, but she knew that he was still in love with Colonel Mackenzie. The Colonel was such a beautiful woman, how could she possibly compare to that? Tom had said that he was far too old to escort Jen; people would assume that he was her father, Ally and Brandon were going together of course, so for tonight, Harm would be her date, and Jen was never going to forget a single minute of this evening.

Harm was barely able to keep the grin off of his face as he escorted Jen to his car. He could not wait to get there, and spend the next few hours with her in his arms. As they were driving towards Plaza Nocha, he found himself constantly stealing glances as her. Once they arrived, they immediately spotted Ally, Brandon, and Tom seated at a table near the stage. They were having karaoke that night, and Tom was trying to get all of them to sing. Finally, he was able to get the group to agree on two songs, and Harm and Jen on two others. Both Harm and Jen were looking forward to their duets, but neither wanted to show how much.

As the night wore on, Tom managed to get Harm and Brandon to agree to surprise the girls, including a lovely older woman who was a former shipmate of Tom's on the Patrick Henry, and had joined the group when she had spotted the retired admiral. Shortly after Joanne Riley joined them, all three ladies went to the restroom. Tom looked at Harm and Brandon, and the three went directly to the stage. The man running the karaoke loved Tom's idea, so all three stood in the shadows near the stage.

"You know, these were always some of my favorite songs," Tom commented as they watched Jen, Ally, and Joanne return to their seats. The three women were looking around, which was the cue for the three men. Harm began walking towards Jen, microphone in hand, with the other two behind him, since their songs would follow him. Harm had the girls giggling when he got on his knees in front of Jen to sing Billy Joel's Uptown Girl. Brandon followed with New Orleans Ladies for Ally, and Tom sang She's a Lady by Tom Jones, which had Joanne turning beet red and laughing. The girls had to get their revenge, and did so in their own indomitable style, as Girls Just Wanna Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper, Destiny's Child's Independent Woman, and Lita Ford's Kiss Me Deadly were performed by Joanne, Ally, and Jen respectively. The women even managed to get Harm to do Romeo with them, although it wasn't too hard for him, since Jen was doing the Dolly Parton portion of the song.

As midnight drew closer, Brandon led Ally and Tom took Joanne out on the dance floor, leaving Harm and Jen alone at their table. The servers came around with champagne, hats and noisemakers, and Jen laughed at Harm, who was wearing one of the tiaras instead of a top hat. Harm sat there, and though he felt ridiculous, decided that it was worth it to see the smile on her face. Finally, at a minute before midnight, he summoned enough courage to stand up and ask her to dance. The crowd began the countdown when Jen looked up at Harm, who had an odd look in his eyes. 'Happy New Year' echoed through the room, followed by 'Auld Lang Syne'. Harm took a deep breath before tilting his head and brushing Jen's lips with his own. Her mouth parted in response, and he answered the unspoken invitation by deepening the kiss. Harm and Jen were so lost in each other that they didn't notice that the dance floor had cleared until they heard cheering coming from their table. They broke apart and looked over to see their four companions applauding wildly. Tom ran up to the DJ, who began playing another classic song, and Harm started singing it to Jen as he took her in his arms and they began dancing again.

_I've never seen you looking so lovely as you did tonight_

_I've never seen you shine so bright_

_I've never seen so many men ask you if you wanted to dance_

_Looking for a little romance, given half the chance_

_I have never seen that dress you're wearing_

_Or the highlights in your hair_

_They catch your eyes; I have been blind_

_Lady in red, is dancing with me, cheek to cheek_

_There's nobody here, it's just you and me_

_It's where I wanna be_

_I hardly know this beauty by my side_

_I'll never forget the way you look tonight_

_I've never seen you looking so gorgeous as you did tonight_

_I've never seen you shine so bright, you were amazing_

_I've never seen so many people want to be there by your side_

_And when you turned to me and smiled_

_You took my breath away_

_I have never had such a feeling_

_Such a feeling of complete and utter love as I do tonight_

_Lady in red, is dancing with me, cheek to cheek_

_There's nobody here, it's just you and me_

_It's where I wanna be_

_I hardly know this beauty by my side_

_I'll never forget the way you look tonight_

_I never will forget the way you look tonight_

_The lady in red, the lady in red_

_The lady in red, my lady in red, I love you_

Harm placed his hand on the small of Jen's back as he led her back to their table. Ally and Joanne were both smiling while Tom and Brandon hugged Jen and shook Harm's hand. Tom, of course, had to say something.

"Son, I was afraid that I was going to have to hit you upside the head to get you to finally admit how you felt about our Jen here." They all laughed, and finally left at two, Jen snuggled into Harm's side on the way home.

In March, Harm had been seen on camera when he landed a C-130 on the deck of the USS Seahawk during a CIA rescue mission. The mission, while a success, ended up costing him his job. The following Monday, Jen had duty, so Harm decided to take his bike to Blacksburg to take his plane on a short flight. Before he left that day, he had managed to get a job as a crop duster from the daughter of the owner of the aviation company that had bought the airfield. It was several weeks after he had been working there that Harm and Jen finally got the truth out of fourteen year old Mathilda Grace Johnson. Mathilda, or Mattie, as she preferred to be called, had been left there on her own after her mother had been killed by her father when the latter had been driving drunk. She was supposed to have gone to some of her father's relatives, but the teenager had run away, and her aunt and uncle hadn't bothered to call and report her missing. Harm had proposed to Jen several weeks before they met Mattie, and now the search for a new home grew in importance. They explained that to the caseworker assigned to Mattie, and eventually Mattie moved into Jen's apartment with her. It wasn't long before Mattie started calling Harm and Jen 'Dad and Mom'. Tom and Harm pooled their savings and the two bought Grace Aviation, keeping the original name. On Memorial Day, the soon-to-be Rabb family was joined by Tom, Ally and Brandon for a picnic on the grounds of Grace Aviation. The latter two had finally gotten married on Valentine's Day, with their three friends as witnesses. The ceremony had been a simple one, and soon Ally discovered that she was pregnant. The new Mrs. Hughes had finally gotten over her morning sickness a week before the picnic. The three women had just gone into the house when the last person any of them expected pulled up into the parking area.

A.J. Chegwidden had never liked Clayton Webb, but he had to admit that occasionally the spook had his uses. This time it was finding the whereabouts of one Harmon Rabb, Junior. He hadn't realized until the past few months that the man was the glue that held his command together. Without him, JAG was barely treading water. Now with the Carolyn Imes fiasco, things had only gotten worse. Harm had been involved in a number of the cases, but no one had been able to get in contact with him. Eventually, they admitted that other than a single call from Mac the day he'd left JAG and Bud's invitation for New Year's Eve, no one had tried to contact Harm over the past seven months.

As he walked through the airfield, it wasn't long before A.J. spotted Harm, recognized Tom Boone, but didn't know who the other man was. The men were all looking toward the house and laughing when Tom looked up and saw him.

"Harm, am I seeing things or is that your former CO staring at us?" Harm turned and sure enough, A.J. Chegwidden was standing about twenty yards away. Harm stood and dusted himself off before approaching the former SEAL.

"How can I help you, Adm.., no, A.J. I'm a civilian now, aren't I?" Chegwidden took a deep breath.

"I talked to SECNAV last week about re-instating your commission, Harm. He agreed. You can come back to JAG next week." Harm let out a dry chuckle.

"I'm sorry, A.J., but if I came back into the Navy, I would not only have to give up my friends, but my fiancée as well, and possibly my daughter. I've already spoken with several law firms nearby, and even if nothing pans out, Tom and I own this airfield. I finally have some good friends, a woman that I love with all of my heart, and a daughter that I adore. I am not going to lose them, and I sure as hell am not giving my girls up." The older man was confused and turned when he heard the sound of three feminine voices coming down the path, two of whom were strikingly familiar. "Like I said A.J., thanks, but no thanks." With those words, Harm ran towards the women, kissing one and ruffling the curly hair of the other. As they got closer, A.J. realized that one of the three was a teenage girl, while the other two were…Williams, no Hughes and Coates?! Harm was marrying Coates? Well, that explained why Harm had turned him down flat. A.J. stood there a moment, racking his brain for a way to sort this one out when inspiration hit, and he started walking toward the group. All six were looking at him, the teenager being the first to speak.

"Hey Dad, is that old bald guy the one who fired you from the Navy?" A.J. looked at the teenager and tried to smile.

"I didn't exactly fire him. I just didn't ask him to come back." The teenager snorted and shook her head.

"Sorry, but around here, we call that fired." Harm and Tom snickered as Jen turned to Mattie.

"Mattie, be nice. Ally and I still work there, you know."

"Sorry, Mom." Jen shook her head.

"Mattie, I'm not the one that you need to apologize to." The teenager grimaced before turning to A.J. with a half-hearted apology. A.J. waved it off and turned back to Harm.

"When are the two of you planning on getting married?" He watched as the two clasped hands and Jen leaned back into Harm's chest.

"Next weekend, on my grandmother's farm. Tom and Brandon will be the groomsmen while Ally and Mattie are the bridesmaids."

"Does anybody else know about any of this? Mac, Sturgis, Bud, Harriet, any of your friends?" Harm scoffed and held Jen closer.

"I learned who my true friends are on the day that you told me to go wrestle alligators. Every single one of them turned and walked away. Not one of them picked up the phone over the next few days and called me, other than Mac, but I could tell from the message that she just wanted to talk about Clay. My cell's been ringing off the hook since Imes was arrested, but before then, not a word. I know Mac called, but I finally had had enough of her pushing me aside. Two people in that office showed enough compassion to worry about me and what would happen to me that day. Ally had Jen help me pack, and invited me to have dinner so that I wouldn't have to be alone. Ally and Brandon didn't even know me, Jen knew me a little better, but it was Ally who insisted that I come over and fed me that night. The people important to me are sitting here right now, and I am not going to turn my back on them. If I were to go back in the Navy, the fraternization regulations would apply once again, and I would rather sit there and debate whether the Chargers, Saints or Redskins are going to have a worse season then spend time with people who only want me around when they need a convenient scapegoat. Like I said, A.J., thanks but no thanks. You need me to testify in the Imes case, fine…, but don't think that I am doing anything until after my wedding."


	3. Chapter 3

On Monday, June 7th, Jen and Ally entered the bullpen at JAG, the smiles on their faces a mile wide. A.J. saw them and wordlessly approached Jen, who handed him several sheets of paper. Chegwidden nodded and cleared his throat.

"Will he be coming in today?" Jen nodded.

"Mattie has a half-day of school, so he'll come in after he picks her up. She'll be with me when he is testifying." Chegwidden nodded, and turned to go back into his office. As soon as the door closed, Ally was at her desk.

"Here's the bet," she whispered, "best reaction, funniest reaction…well, I was going to add most explosive reaction, but that would be a sucker-bet." Jen snickered and nodded.

"Best reaction: Lieutenant Sims, Funniest Reaction: Commander Turner, Explosions: Mackenzie, and Overall most entertaining: Lieutenant Roberts."

"Deal," Ally nodded and returned to her desk, ensuring that she had her popcorn ready at 1300.

At precisely 1255, Harmon Rabb, accompanied by a young girl, stepped off the elevator and into the bullpen. He was carrying a bag with three foam trays, and patently ignored the stares.

Jen had just finished replacing a file when she heard Mattie's voice from the other side of the room. Jen took a deep breath and smiled as Harm and Mattie approached her.

"Hey you two, I was wondering when my lunch was getting here." Harm smiled and set the bag on Jen's desk.

"Sorry, Jen, traffic was a nightmare. My subpoena is for 2:30, so I thought that we could have lunch together." Jen smiled and stood up before turning to Ally.

"I'm taking lunch now, Ally."

"No problem, Jen. See you later. Oh, and Harm, don't forget to call Brandon later. He wants to know whether we're staying here or going to Blacksburg this weekend." Harm nodded as Jen took the trays.

"I promised Mattie that I'd give her on a flying lesson this weekend, so we'll probably be in Blacksburg. I know Brandon wants to try it as well, so we can all go up."

"Dad, Mom," Mattie's voice cut through the silence. "Starving kid here, can we go eat yet?" Jen laughed as Harm ruffled Mattie's hair. Jen started to lead her family toward the elevator as Ally started counting quietly.

"3, 2, 1…"

"What is going on here?!?!" The voice of LtCol Sarah Mackenzie echoed through the bullpen. Harm placed a hand on both Jen and Mattie as he turned to look at his former friends.

"I believe that you asked me to come in and testify in the courts-martial today. Mattie had a half day, so I decided to bring her in early because I wanted to have lunch with my wife and daughter."

"Your wife?!"

"Yes, Jen and I got married on Saturday with our friends there. Now, Colonel, our lunch is getting cold and our daughter is hungry." Jen then looked around the bullpen, noticing the varied reactions and smirked.

"Hey, Ally, I think you won the bet. I guess this means that I'm cooking tonight." Ally laughed and nodded.

"I think you're right. Go on and enjoy your lunch. Be back here in an hour. We'll find something for Mattie to do while Harm's in court." Jen nodded and pressed the elevator button. Colonel Mackenzie was fuming, and thankfully, the doors opened as she started storming towards them. Harm blocked the way with his body, shielding Jen and Mattie from view. The door closed just as Mac got to it, so she pressed the button. At that moment, Admiral Chegwidden came out of his office, looked around the bullpen, saw Ally at her desk and that Jen was missing. It didn't take him long to figure out what had transpired.

"LN1, I assume that Mr. Rabb came by to take his wife to lunch before court?" Ally nodded and approached her CO.

"Yes, sir. I told her to be back in an hour, and we'll have Mattie do her homework when Harm's in court." The shocked expressions on the faces of Commander Turner, LT Roberts, LT Sims, and Colonel Mackenzie turned to disbelief when they realized that not only was Harm married to LN2 Coates and that they had apparently adopted a teenage girl, but that Admiral Chegwidden knew about it and LN1 Hughes was a part of it. A.J. saw the expression on the faces of his staff and chuckled.

"You know if some of you had bothered to try to contact Mr. Rabb immediately after his departure rather than waiting months, you would have known about it. I only found out when I went to try to convince him to return to JAG. Mr. Rabb declined, saying that he didn't want to lose the friends that he's made since leaving the Navy because of fraternization regulations. Mr. Rabb is married to a second class petty officer, has a fourteen year old adopted daughter, counts a first class and her Marine staff sergeant husband as his best friends, and is business partners with a retired admiral, who also happens to be his godfather. I don't believe that any of us have the right to judge any of them or criticize Harm. We lost that when all of us turned our backs on him. Mr. Rabb is the civilian spouse of a staff member here, and all of you will do well to remember that. LN1, when they return, please tell the Rabbs that I need to see them. The results of the March exam came out and she is on the list." Ally grinned and nodded her head.

"Yes, sir. I won't say anything."

Harm and Mattie followed Jen back inside the building and into the bullpen. As they walked through the desk, silence followed them.

"The Admiral had a few words for everyone while you were gone. He pretty much repeated what you said to him that day in Blacksburg, Harm. Speaking of the Admiral, Jen, he needs to see you in his office. Harm, as soon as she's done, you need to get to the courtroom." Ally then picked up the phone and informed the Admiral that LN2 Coates-Rabb and her family was coming in to see him. Five minutes later, everyone heard "Good job, Jen, I knew you could do it," from Harm and "Way to go, Mom" from Mattie. The family re-emerged a few minutes later with Harm and Mattie beaming proudly at Jen, who was blushing.

"I have to get to the courtroom now. Mattie, go ahead and sit down at the desk with Ally and get your homework done, and we'll see about going by the mall so you can get that new CD you want." Mattie grinned.

"Really? I can get it?"

"If you finish all of your homework. I'll be back in little while." Mattie practically ran to Ally's desk and pulled out her biology textbook and notebook and started writing furiously. Harm chuckled before turning and walking towards the courtroom.

Harm's testimony took almost two hours, and by the time he returned, Mattie had finished her homework in all but one of her classes. She was writing frantically when Harm walked up and looked at the stack of work that she'd already completed. Mattie looked up and saw Harm looking her work over and her face fell.

"I'm sorry, Dad. I really tried." Harm hid his smile as he nodded.

"I know you did, Mats. I think that you've earned your CD. We'll go pick it up, but I'm going to hold on to it until you finish once we get home, okay?"

"You mean it? Thanks so much. I swear I'll get it all done."

"I know you will. Let's get going so Ally and Mom can get back to work." Harm turned to Jen.

"I'll know whether I got the job with Matthews, Wilson and Jones by the time you get home. Oh, and I'll take care of dinner tonight, Mrs. LN1 Rabb. Do you want me to take your uniforms to the tailors this afternoon?" Jen smiled as Harm helped Mattie gather her books.

"All right, Harm, I'll see you when I get home tonight. Yes on the uniforms, and see if they can put a rush on one of my sets of summer whites for tomorrow. Love you both."

"Love you, too, sweetheart. See you later." With that, Harm and Mattie walked toward the elevator, waving slightly to Admiral Chegwidden, who had emerged from his office. A.J. hid a chuckle as he looked at the faces of Mac, Sturgis, Bud and Harriet, all of whom were still in disbelief over the changes that had happened under all of their noses, including his. Clearing his throat, he managed to get Jen's attention, who promptly called the office to attention as Harm and Mattie disappeared behind the closing elevator doors.

"I think congratulations are in order for one of our fellow staff members here. The results for the March advancement exam came out a little while ago, so everyone please congratulate LN1 Jennifer Coates-Rabb. Frocking is authorized, so LN1, I expect to see you in the correct uniform ASAP." Jen nodded.

"Yes sir. Harm is taking my seabag to the cleaners, and putting a rush on a set of summer whites. If not by tomorrow, I'll have the correct rating badge by Wednesday. I'd do it myself, but sewing is not one of my strong suits." A.J. started to return to his office before turning back around.

"I'd almost forgotten. How do you wish to be referred to? Coates, Rabb, hyphenated Coates-Rabb?" Jen smiled.

"Just plain Rabb, sir. LN2…um…LN1 Rabb. I was going to put a chit in for special liberty this week so that Harm, Mattie and I can go to PSD and Social Security, file the paperwork, get my name officially changed, and get Harm and Mattie their dependent ID cards."

"Don't worry about running the chit. Take tomorrow and get everything taken care of. This will also ensure that the next time that you are in this office after today; you will be in the correct uniform. One last thing, Rabb, I want you and Hughes to work with LT Sims in planning this year's JAG Fourth of July picnic."

"Yes sir." With that, Admiral Chegwidden returned to his office, but left the door conspicuously open to let his staff know that abusing Jen would not be a good idea.

"LN1 Rabb?" Startled, Jen looked up to see Commander Turner in front of her desk. The former submariner looked a little nervous.

"Yes, sir?"

"Could you please tell Harm that I'm sorry. The admiral was right, I've been a lousy friend. Congratulations by the way." Jen smiled.

"Why don't you call him and talk to him. I know that he has missed everyone, especially you, sir. Just tell him what you just told me." Sturgis nodded and walked back to his office, feeling even guiltier about the fact that it was once Harm's. Closing the door, he pulled out his cell phone and called the number of his former roommate and friend.

"LN1 Rabb, LN1 Hughes, when do you want to go over ideas for the picnic?" Harriet Sims-Roberts called across the bullpen. Jen and Ally looked at each other and shrugging, the two walked over to the blonde's desk.

"What do you have in mind, ma'am?"

"Why not have it at the park here in Falls Church? Make it a family thing, everyone bringing spouses or significant others and children? It can be a potluck, with everyone bringing a dish, and all bringing their own plates, flatware, and cups. Civilian clothes, of course, and LT Roberts and I will be bringing the karaoke machine that his father got us for Christmas. Jen and Ally looked at each other and nodded.

"That sounds great, ma'am. Would you like for us to print and post fliers on the bulletin boards?" Harriet nodded.

"Yes, and put one in everyone's box, with all of the pertinent details. I'll go in and let the admiral know what we've decided on. You two go ahead and get started on the fliers." Jen and Ally nodded and returned to their desks while Harriet went into A.J.'s office.


	4. Chapter 4

It was the Fourth of July at the Rabb house, and Harm, Jen, and Mattie were getting ready for the picnic. Harm knew things had been tense for Jen at work since the public announcement of their marriage, especially with Mac. His former best friend had spent the past three weeks verbally abusing his wife, and unfortunately, with both regulations and the UCMJ against her, there was little that Jen could do. Jen had gotten permission for Tom Boone to attend the picnic from Admiral Chegwidden. If anyone could put the vindictive Marine in her place, it was the acerbic retired admiral. Harm had a feeling that Mattie would also get her two cents in as well.

When Harm pulled into the parking area, the picnic was already in full swing. Tom pulled in behind them, and the family walked toward the large gathering. Once they were near the group, Mattie spotted Ally and Brandon, who had found a spot and laid down a large blanket. The rest of JAG watched as the Rabbs strolled towards the Hughes family and all but Jen sat down. Jen instead was taking a large pasta salad to the picnic table, taking a deep breath when she saw Colonel Mackenzie standing there. Jen ignored the snide remarks from the other woman, set her burden down, and rushed back to her family.

"What did she say to you this time?" Harm could see that his wife was clearly upset, and this was the final straw. He gave Jen a quick kiss before he stood up, followed by Tom.

"Harm, please." Harm shook his head.

"No Jen. Enough is enough. I am not going to have that woman keep upsetting you so much, especially after what the doctor told us Monday." He and Tom approached Mac, who saw him and gave him a sultry smile.

"Hey, flyboy, how have you been?"

"I'd be a lot better if you would leave my wife, my pregnant wife, the hell alone."

"What lies has she been telling you?"

"Jen hasn't told me anything, Colonel. I see it every time she comes home. You treat her the same way you used to treat me. Grow up, Mac. I don't know what your problem is with me, but quit taking it out on her." Harm turned and walked back towards his family, but Tom remained behind.

"Did you really think that he was going to sit around and wait for you to finish sleeping your way through D.C.? Just from what I've heard from some of my friends, you slept your way into Law School and with at least half the men that you have come across since you got here. If I didn't know A.J. Chegwidden as well as I do, with all the crap that you've pulled and gotten away with, I'd think that you were sleeping with him. Harm finally opened his eyes when you told him to fuck off after he nearly got himself killed saving your ass and that of the idiot that you're sleeping with now, the one you screwed Harm over for. Now you're behaving like he betrayed you, when you were the one who betrayed him time after time. Now he has found two people that have shown him what unconditional love is all about, and you are trying to destroy that. Let me give you a little warning, Lieutenant Colonel Mackenzie, I still have plenty of friends in this town. If I ever hear a whisper of you verbally attacking the woman who is like a daughter to me again, I can guarantee that you will never see a command, much less a pair of silver eagles on your collar. I hope that I have made myself crystal clear." Tom didn't bother to wait for a response, but simply turned and left the shell-shocked Marine standing there with her jaw on the ground.

"Tom, what exactly did you say to her?" Harm asked, looking over at Mac, who was still standing there in shock. Tom Boone smirked as he looked at the woman, then turning back to his family.

"Just the truth, Harm. Just the truth." As the day wore on, Harriet and Bud pulled out the karaoke machine. Mikey Roberts started things off with a rendition of Bon Jovi's 'Living on A Prayer'. More followed, including most of the enlisted personnel and a handful of the spouses. Harm smiled at Jen before getting to his feet and walking over to Bud, who was running the machine. Bud was surprised, then smiled at Harm, who picked up the microphone.

"I'd like to dedicate this to my beautiful wife, LN1 Jennifer Rabb, who has told me that we're having a baby! Jen, I love you."

_I set out on a narrow way, many years ago_

_Hoping I would find true love along the broken road_

_But I got lost a time or two, wiped my brow, kept pushing through_

_I couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you_

_Every long lost dream led me to where you are_

_Lovers who broke my heart, they were like Northern Stars_

_Pointing me on my way into your loving arms_

_This much I know is true_

_That God blessed the broken road that led me straight to you_

_I think about the years I spent, just passing through_

_I'd like to have the time I lost and give it back to you_

_But you just smile and take my hand_

_You've been there, you understand_

_It's all part of a grander plan that is coming true_

_Every long lost dream led me to where you are_

_Lovers who broke my heart, they were like Northern Stars_

_Pointing me on my way into your loving arms_

_This much I know is true_

_That God blessed the broken road that led me straight to you_

_Now I'm just rolling home into my lover's arms_

_This much I know is true_

_That God blessed the broken road that led me straight to you_

_That God blessed the broken road that led me straight to you_

Jen had tears in her eyes as Harm walked back towards Bud and handed him the microphone. As soon as he was seated next to her again, she promptly leaned over and kissed him for all that she was worth. His hands drifted up as they lost themselves, until Mattie decided to break in.

"Ugh, Mom, Dad, you two are scarring me for life here." Harm and Jen broke apart, both blushing slightly. Jen smiled and got to her feet, answering Harm's questioning look with an enigmatic smile as she walked over to Bud.

"Well, my husband started this, so I guess it's my job to finish it." Another song started playing and Jen took a deep breath.

_For you, there'll be no crying_

_For you, the sun will be shining_

'_Cause I feel that when I'm with you_

_It's all right, I know its right_

_And the songbirds keep singing like they know the score_

_And I love you, I love you, I love you like never before_

_To you, I would give the world_

_To you, I'd never be cold_

'_Cause I feel that when I'm with you_

_It's all right, I know its right_

_And the songbirds keep singing like they know the score_

_And I love you, I love you, I love you like never before_

_Like never before, like never before_

As Mac watched Jen set the microphone down and return to her family, she got a good look at Harm's face. His eyes were closed and he had one arm around Jen and the other around Mattie. There was an expression on his face that Mac had never seen there. It seemed that he had finally wrested all of his demons away, as his face was a picture of utter contentment. For the first time since she met Harmon Rabb almost nine years ago in the Rose Garden of the White House, the man was completely at peace with his life. Mac realized that she had indeed ruined any chance she had with Harm, and part of her was happy for him. She knew that her relationship with Clay would eventually end, and decided to cut her losses. On Monday, Mac decided, she would request a chance for a transfer and hopefully a fresh start.

When Jen got to work on Thursday, she was surprised to find a gift-wrapped box sitting on her desk, the card reading 'To Jen and Harm' in block print. She took it with her home that day. Mattie had soccer tryouts that afternoon, so the two of them had the house to themselves. As Jen opened the box, Harm spotted the envelope, and recognized the handwriting on it.

"It's from Mac." Jen looked inside the box, and then at Harm, who opened the letter and began to read it aloud.

"_Dear Harm and Jen,_

_By the time you receive this, I will be gone. At the picnic, I realized that you Jen gave Harm something that I never could-Peace. I know that my behavior toward the both of you was unforgivable. I also know that one of the main reasons that Harm refused to return to JAG was because of me. That being said, I requested a transfer and will be serving as a Fleet JAG in Bahrain. I have spoken to Admiral Chegwidden, and your billet is still open, Harm. I know that you haven't taken a job in the civilian sector yet, and I hope that you consider returning to JAG. Good Luck and Best Wishes,_

_Sarah Mackenzie_

Jen had reached into the box and pulled out a six piece set of beautiful crystal goblets. Underneath it was a beautiful hand-made mint green sweater, hat, and bootie set for a baby of either gender.

"This explains the message I got from A.J. earlier, saying that certain things had been resolved, and asking that I come back to JAG." Jen took a deep breath.

"Harm, I know that you miss it. I know that one of your biggest concerns is me, but if the Admiral said that everything's going to be okay, then I think that we should take his word for it. Besides, we both know that I did not to re-enlist when my this contract is up in '05. By then, you should be in the running for Captain. I've talked to Ally and Brandon, and they agree with me, however they do have one condition." Harm smiled as he picked up one of the goblets.

"And that would be?"

"When you get promoted to Captain, Ally gets to be your Legalman and Brandon gets transferred to the security force for your command." Harm laughed and nodded.

"I think I can live with that. I'll call A.J. back in the morning."

Three days later, Harm returned to JAG. Life returned to normal, or as normal as it ever would be. Harmon Francis Rabb was born in January and Admiral Chegwidden retired in May, promoting Bud Roberts to Lieutenant Commander as his final act as the Judge Advocate General. His replacement, Marine General Cresswell, was impressed with how well the Rabbs managed to keep their professional demeanor at all times. His daughter Cammie became friends with Mattie Grace Rabb, despite the two year age difference between the two girls. Cammie was a senior when she transferred to Mattie's high school, and Mattie showed kindness to the new girl, unaware until about a week had passed that her new friend's dad was the new boss of her parents. This was made one afternoon when the girls were picked up by their respective fathers after soccer practice. Mattie saw the two men first, and since she and Cammie were the last ones there, realized who her father was.

"Cammie, where exactly does your dad work?"

"He just took over JAG. Why?"

"Because I think my dad works for him. He and my mom work at JAG."

"Well, that's actually pretty cool. At least we can hang out without our parents getting mad." Mattie laughed and acknowledged Cammie's point. By now, both Harm and Biff Cresswell had reached the girls, who were grinning at them both.

"Uh-oh," Biff said with a grimace. "Commander , I think that we're in trouble." Harm looked at the expression on his daughter's face and nodded.

"Sir, I think that you're probably right." Shaking his head, Harm extended a hand to Mattie. "Come on, Mats, your Mom is probably getting worried." Mattie stood up and dusted herself off.

"Okay, Dad. See you tomorrow, Cammie." The Rabbs left, followed by the Cresswells. The girls stayed friends over the year, and Mattie was just as excited as her friend when Cammie received her acceptance letter to the Naval Academy. Cammie had just left for her plebe summer when the Rabbs learned that their lives will be changed forever.

Harm and Jen had just entered the conference room when General Cresswell came through the other door, holding several pieces of paper out.

"I have orders for two of you, one of which includes a promotion. Commander Turner, there is a new Joint Legal Services Office opening. You've been selected to take command of JLSO Southwest in San Diego." Sturgis stammered his thanks as he was congratulated by everyone. Biff cleared his throat and turned to Jen. "Petty Officer Rabb, I believe that your enlistment ends next month, and that you have over forty days of leave on the books." Jen nodded.

"Yes, sir." Her voice was tinged with confusion as she looked between Harm and the General, who smiled.

"Well then, we can get to the next set of orders. Captain Krennick is retiring next week, she notified the selection board of her intentions three months ago to ensure a smooth transition. This posting is for the Force Judge Advocate Europe, stationed in London. It's an O-6 billet, and immediate frocking is authorized. Congratulations, Captain Rabb." Harm's jaw dropped and Jen squealed happily. Biff smiled at her and set the papers on the table. "I'm going to suspend the fraternization regulations for the next two minutes, starting…now!" Jen jumped up, hugged Harm and planted a firm kiss on his mouth before taking her seat and composing herself.

"Thank you, sir." Jen said primly as she folded her hands on the table. Biff chuckled before turning his attention back to Harm and Sturgis.

"All right then. Commander Turner, Captain Rabb, you may select your staff, and no one is off limits." Harm cleared his throat as he remembered the promise he had made over a year ago.

"Sir, I made a promise a while back to two people here. One works in this office and the other in the security detachment. I'd like to have orders cut for LN1 Hughes to serve as my Legalman and SSGT Hughes to serve on the FJA security detail. I'll be speaking with several others and should have a list to you by close of business Friday."

When Mattie found out, the teenager was ecstatic. Jen told Harm that their daughter had a crush on Daniel Radcliffe, and was hoping that she might get a chance to meet her idol. Harm laughed and told Jen if that was what it took to get Mattie to move all the way to England without a fuss, then he'd see if he could arrange something. Jen's terminal leave started the day Harm's transfer leave did, and within two days, they were standing at the door of the FJA residence. Harm had told Jen about his past encounters with Krennick, and hoped that the 'Dragon Lady' had mellowed with time.

Both Harm and Jen were surprised when a tall, brown haired man answered the door with a smile.

"Hi, you must be Captain, Mrs. Rabb and Miss Rabb. I'm Mark Thompson. Come on in, Allison will be out shortly." The Rabbs followed Mark into the foyer, and as soon as the door closed, Allison Krennick emerged from the back hallway.

"Harm, congratulations." She gave him a quick hug before turning to Jen and Mattie. "You must be Jennifer and Mathilda. I'm Allison, and judging by the expressions on your faces, I assume that Harm told you about my younger, dumber, hormonal days when I honestly should have been brought up on sexual harassment charges." At Allison's comment, Harm nearly choked while Jen and Mattie both stifled giggles. "I see that you've met my husband Mark, the man responsible for putting a leash on me. It looks like Jennifer did the same to you." Harm snickered while Jen and Mattie both laughed outright. With the tension broken, Allison and Mark led Harm, Jen and Mattie into the living room, where they discussed all of the pertinent information. Finally, it was time for them to go, and after exchanging hugs and handshakes, Harm, Jen and Mattie returned to the hotel.


End file.
